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Jails in Indian Country, 2015

Todd D. Minton, Ph.D., Bureau of Justice Statistics

November 10, 2016 NCJ 250117

Describes jails, confinement facilities, detention centers, and other correctional facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This report presents trends in Indian country jails, including inmate characteristics and offense type; midyear, peak, and average daily population; and admissions and expected average length of stay at admission. It provides data on rated capacity, facility crowding, and jail staffing. Deaths in custody are also included. Findings were based on BJS's 2015 Survey of Jails in Indian Country.

Highlights:

At midyear 2015, an estimated 2,510 inmates were confined in 76 Indian country jails, a 5.5% increase from the 2,380 inmates confined at midyear 2014 in 79 facilities.

The number of inmates admitted into Indian country jails during June 2015 (9,810) was four times the size of the average daily population (2,390).

For the 76 facilities operating in June 2015, the expected average length of stay at admission for inmates was about 7 days.

Three in 10 inmates were held for violent offenses at midyear 2015, including domestic violence (13%), aggravated or simple assault (10%), unspecified violence (6%), and rape or sexual assault (2%).

Similar to 2013 and 2014, at midyear 2015, 2 in 10 inmates were held for public intoxication.